1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hunting blinds and particularly to hunting blinds that form a boat cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hunting blinds have been used for years to aid hunters in concealing themselves from the prey. Blinds are often built on land for hunting both land-based animals and for hunting birds, such as ducks. Often these blinds are made of local materials to blend in with the surroundings. Although these blinds are quite useful, if a hunter or group of hunters must access the blind by boat, it seems inconvenient to have to use the boat to get to the site and then establish a blind on shore. A better way would be to use the boat itself for the blind. To that end, several devices have been patented in which a boat is used as a hunting blind.
Examples of these devices are found in the following U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,839 to Sheridan Jr. discloses a duck blind for boats This blind is a tent-like structure that is made of a canvas type material. Portholes are provided for viewing and the side walls can open for firing. Although this device can work, it is best assembled in the field, rather then being transported in place. It uses flaps and straps that may be cumbersome to open quickly under certain conditions. U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,722 teaches a blind that has a hard superstructure. The superstructure covers most of the entire boat. The blind has a raised center portion with view ports. It also has a number of hatches that are used to access the blind and to permit shooting. This device is also useful. However, it is limited in use because of the small view ports. Moreover, hunters have access for firing through ports that are not large. Finally, the front of the boat is covered except for a small port in front. This reduces visibility when operating the boat. The driver must stand up through one of the ports to really see clearly. Even then, the view is obscured by the blind. U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,145 teaches a large boat cover that is used as a blind. The cover has a metal frame and is covered with a canvas type material. The cover does not completely enclose the hunter; portion in the front is open for viewing. When the hunter is ready to shoot, the cover is partially retracted and the hunter is free to shoot. The problem with this design is that it is limited for use to one hunter. Moreover, the hunter's view and firing range is limited to one direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,253 discloses another type of tent blind that can be easily assembled in the field. It has a framework over which, pieces of canvas like material are placed. The tent has side walls that can be dropped quickly as needed. The problem with is design is that the side walls can fall into the boat or into the water. Although the ability to get out of the way is an asset, once they are down, they may become wet or otherwise difficult to handle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,641 teaches a universal frame for a boat blind. This frame is collapsible and can be set up quickly. The frame is covered by a camouflage tarp that has openings for viewing and shooting. U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,203 teaches another tent-like blind for boats. In this design, a frame having multiple sections is used. The sections are covered with different panels of material that can be used as covers and as door. Camouflage windows are also provided for viewing. Finally, elastic strips are provided to allow brush to be used to further camouflage the blind. The branches and leaves are inserted in the elastic bands as desired. Although this design is versatile, it is complex and not quickly assembled. Moreover, there are many fittings and zippers that can become worn and damaged after use, which require a lot of maintenance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,615,633 teaches a blind for boats that has a hard shell. A number of elastic bands are placed about the shell for attaching branches and other items for camouflage. The top center of the shell is open with an elevated top. Hatches are provided for entry and exit and user view through the top opening. U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,034 teaches a boat cover that can be used as a blind that uses a number of curved ribs that are spaces apart along the gunwales of the boat. A soft canvas-like cover is then placed over the frame. Other examples of blinds are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,260,505, 4,979,456, 5,458,079, D392,244, 5,887,539, and 3,698,409.
Although there are many designs for boat hunting blinds, they suffer from the same problems: the soft tent style designs typically must be assembled in the field. The hard-sided models tend to provide limited visibility while operating the boat and are also cramped and low. Moreover, all of the designs do not provide adequate opening for shooting and other movements.